A change of direction

Given that its Thanksgiving Day tomorrow in the US, which relates back to the arrival of the first immigrants to the US from here, its time to throw in a piece of hypothetical thought.

Just over a century ago, my ancestors left Ireland, and headed to England to look for a better life. What made them choose England over North America, Australia, or other places, well who knows? Maybe they didnt want to follow the larger crowd to North America, maybe my great grandfathers had job offers already, or otherwise, I can only surmise.

But its an interesting thought, how different might I, and my life had been if they had gone west, instead of east, as so many Irish people did. Of course, if one set had headed in one direction, and the other had remained on course, I might not even have been born! If that had happened I might not have been holidaying in Boston this year, but living there!

Would I be different as an American, or Canadian woman? I dont know, I’m sure attitudes have differed over the years, musical tastes certainly have, thats for sure. Top British groups have never made it over there, top US groups have never really made it over here, so I suspect my musical influences would be very different. Politically, work wise and other things, would I have been different going through their system. For example, over here, especially when I was a teen, going to university was a pretty exclusive thing. In the US, pretty much everyone gets to go to college, or so it seems to me from over here. Would I have bettered myself with a college education, who can tell? I might even have been a cheerleader, but I doubt it!

One thing is for certain, I might be used to colder winters than we get here lol! Though I guess that would ultimately depend on where my ancestors eventually moved to in North America, big difference between Northern Alaska and Southern Florida!

I’ve never as yet been in the US for Thanksgiving, so have no real idea what the day is like over there. Well beyond the fact you fill yourself with food, and then settle down to watch football. Of course thats a different form of football to what you’d get over here. In fact, over here the soccer doesnt get played until Boxing Day! Maybe one day I will, hopefully if I’m still up to it when I retire, I might be able to plan travel that way a bit better. Assuming of course anyone will invite me to Thanksgiving dinner lol!

My best wishes to all my American friends for tomorrow, hope you all have a marvellous day, but do remember your brave ancestors who travelled across the ocean in the past, especially those first few, now unknown pilgrims who first celebrated this day nearly 400 years ago.